abortion protesters

In this week’s edition of the Academic Armchair we talked with Ben Kasstan, Research Fellow in Social Anthropology at Sussex, about a recent article written for Huffington Post, as well as a follow-up blog post for Sussex’s Centre for Cultures of Reproduction, Technologies & Health. Presenting his opinions on the importance of the upcoming 2018 vote over women’s reproductive rights and the protesters on both sides of the issue, Ben explores the context and potential outcomes of the referendum in his article. We talked with him to see why Sussex students should care as much about the issue as he does…

Ben mentions in his article that young voters made up the majority of pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators he saw while in Ireland.

We kicked off our interview by asking him why he feels young people are so active regarding this issue on both sides, and what this might mean.

Government urged to tackle anti-abortion protests in UK after women are confronted outside clinics

Some women have been reduced to tears, while others have decided not to enter the clinic after being confronted by a barrage of abuse, campaigners say

May Bulman Social Affairs Correspondent
Oct 6, 2017

The Government is being urged to change legislation amid rising concern over anti-abortion “vigils” confronting women outside abortion clinics across the UK.

Women entering clinics to access abortion services or pregnancy and family planning advice are being confronted with large images of foetuses and pro-life campaigners urging them to change their minds, often wielding large images of foetuses.

Genevieve Edwards, UK Director of Policy at Marie Stopes International

5 October 2016 • 9:27am, The Telegraph

A much-needed spotlight has been shone on the deeply unpleasant tactics that anti-abortion protesters use to turn women away from clinics. An undercover investigation for Channel 4’s Dispatches shows groups like the Good Counsel Network and Abort 67 lying to women about the risks and consequences of abortion, and intimidating them on their way into clinics.

Women in the UK have had a legal right to abortion for almost 50 years, and around nine out of 10 people are pro-choice. Of those that aren’t, only a small proportion feels compelled to stand outside abortion clinics and harass the women entering. Many people walk past these protestors entirely unfazed - but for some it can be traumatic, making what is already an emotional experience even more challenging.

It would be an act of kindness for protesters to leave abortion patients alone, writes Terry Bellamak.

An open letter to anti-abortion protesters from the national president of ALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa.

This letter was inspired by the story Kylie Gunn told of her medically necessary termination of her very much wanted pregnancy. I’m really sorry Kylie had to face that difficult prospect.

In Ireland and other countries where abortion is both illegal and harshly punished, she would not have had that option. She would have been forced to carry the pregnancy. I’m very glad she was spared such cruelty.

Approximately 94 per cent of abortions in New Zealand occur before the 14th week of gestation. Those that occur after are mostly the result of catastrophic issues with wanted pregnancies, like Kylie’s.

It is very easy to empathise with women like Kylie. But what about empathising with women who have unwanted pregnancies?